During Winter Layup

[RovinOn]

During the winter while you are not using your coach and it is properly winterized do you check in on it, run the engine, warm the coach by running the furnace while you are in it checking on other things that may become a problem?
Or do you just abandon it until spring just checking on it occasionaly?

At least once a month I run mine, charge batteries etc. Now that we are starting to get some real cold weather I think now I will be running the genset and furnace on the visit along with the coach's engine.
I figure it can't hurt.

Just curious as to what others do, I know that when I'm onboard I'm itching to take it home, load it and hit the road to a warmer climate, but since I'm not fully retired yet that is not an option!

Regards,
RovinOn
05 Southwind 37C

[JC2]

We take ours out and go somewhere for about 1-2 hrs about every 4-6 weeks. During that time I will put a load on the gennie while running it.

[DandS]

Have ours stored on my property next to house until we go south first of the year. I just run genny once/mo. and keep converter/charger plugged in for batteries. I have heard unless you can move the coach, just running engine for awhile is worse than letting it sit.

[Izzyblueye]

If I am storing mine for the winter I winterize and besides starting and running the Gen under load for 30 min once a month I never start the chassis engine at all. I keep the batts on float chargers and check fluid once a month in the batts. Running the chassis engine for short periods will just generate moisture and acid in the system.

[becks]

I also do just as Homer does, accept I run my genny an hour and a half under load each month. I don't start my engine either unless I can drive it down the road.

[HD4Mark]

I am curious why you would not run the engine without driving your MO during storage. Does it harm it to operate the engine with no load or higher RPMs? I always figured if you ran it to circulate the oil and stuff once in a while it would be a good idea if the cylinders were not fogged. I also would at least put it in forward and reverse gear and perhaps move it a foot or two just to change where the tires sat.

Does the do not start idea go for gas as well as diesels? We have a cover over our MO so it is great because it keeps it nice but a giant PIA to move very far. It is plugged into a 30amp outlet to charge the batteries and a Trick-L-Start is in the works.

Darn I can't wait to go south for vacation

[georgetown350]

The engine cant get up to operating temps while idling. Ive heard that moisture would collect in the exhaust system which would cause rust.

[NLOVNIT]

Our coach is stored an hour away, has been winterized & has a cover on it until at least early April. We do nothing with it, except check the battery fluid levels once a month because it's plugged into a 30a circuit, until it's time for the cover to come off in the spring.

It sure is a long time from Nov to Apr, but I spend the time planning next season's trips.

Lori-

[Lorna]

Why don't you do a little winter camping? We used to have a little pop-up and we camped year round. Granted we lived and camped in the mountains of NC/GA/SC but we also didn't have the amenities of the big rigs you guys are camping in. Winter camping is great. The campgrounds are almost deserted. We tended to use our pop-up as a "motel room" and would visit places in "town". We were fond of museums (I homeschooled our kids) particularly the "living" kind.

[RovinOn]

When I run my coach, I run it up on temp and may run it for a good 45 minutes, I also cycle the transmission and move the coach. I don't know if the Allison circulates the fluid in neutal but I leave it in neutal while it's running. If roads are clear I do take it out and run it on the road for about 20 miles.
Since my coach is stored in a Storage facility out of doors I do not have the luxury of having electricity to run a battery charger.
When I traded my last coach in and was discussing with the dealer on how to winter care this one I explained to him what I did and he said that it was a good way to care for it this way.
I wish I could find an affordable place to store indoors but that isn't going to happen and I don't hve the ground to build a garage or stor on my property.

Regards,
RovinOn
05 Southwind 37C

[read & learn]

Back in the days before retiring we would go for a drive for about 2 hours stop somewhere have lunch and then back to the storage yard once a month. Then we would run the generator 2 weeks later and watch a Sunday afternoon football game, that way the gen got a good work out and we felt like we were out camping some where.

[SRT]

Since I live in "cold country" near the tip of Lake Superior, our motor home slumbers the winter in it's own garage. Preparation is Sta-Bil in the gas tank. Both engine and generator have been run to make sure the fuel injection/carb have the Sta-Bil run through them. Next spring we will awaken it for the first campout in early May.

The motor home is plugged in so the Magic (can't remember the name of that) converter will keep the home batteries charged. The starting battery (new this year) has a trickle charger attached.

This year we only went about 1500 miles due to other projects that needed finishing. So it didn't get the chassis greased or the oil changed.

[HD4Mark]

We would love to take it for a drive. Too bad the roads are covered with salt. I don't even like the fact then when leaving on vacation we have a few states worth of possible road salt. We do try to stop somewhere and run through a truck wash if it gets slop on it. It is bad enough that we are stuck with everyday driving the car & SUV but if we can keep the expensive MO out of the stuff as much as possible I will feel better.

[georgetown350]

Quote:

We do try to stop somewhere and run through a truck wash if it gets slop on it.

I usually hope for rain before we get all the way south to wash the undercarriage. Unfortunately we go back north before the winter ends so chances of rain at the north end are remote.